One-armed civil war veteran and photographer Ansel Miller (Peter Whitney) takes photos of the Shiloh hands at work as Judge Garth arrives. It is revealed Miller lost his arm at Andersonville prison which was run by Captain Piper Pritikin (James Whitmore) and that Pritikin has been released from Leavenworth penitentiary and is coming to Medicine Bow. His wife, Laura (Virginia Grey), and their son Davis (Steve Carlson), have been living in town under her maiden name of Beaumont. It is also noted that Judge Garth was appointed as Pritikin's attorney at his trial and that it was largely due to the Judge's efforts that Pritikin was not hanged for war crimes. As Pritikin is about to arrive by train a crowd gathers and Judge Garth tries to get them to disperse but Ansel Miller, fueled by three days of drink and pent-up hatred, berates him for protecting the Captain. Pritikin arrives and his son says Judge Garth does not want to see him but Pritikin says he is owed something by the Judge. On